Damage evolution of PµLSE additive-manufactured micro-lattice metastructures: Synchrotron radiation 3D tomography image-based analysis

The manufacturing of additives with projection micro litho stereo exposure (PµLSE) has provided an opportunity for the fabrication of metastructures with complex microstructures at micro-nano resolutions. However, the performance evaluation of as-fabricated metastructures is challenging. The benefit of synchrotron radiation-based 3D imaging techniques and advanced image processing methods makes it is feasible to study fabrication defects and damage processes of micro-nanoscale body-centered cubic (BCC) lattices manufactured with PµLSE. First, synchrotron radiation technology is used to capture the structural features inside the micro-lattice samples. Subsequently, several types of statistical defects-based image finite element models are adopted to analyze the failure process of the structure under compression loading. Finally, comparisons between in situ experiments and numerical simulation results are performed for verification. The method of the combined non-destructive testing of synchrotron radiation and image finite element technology provides a robust technique for evaluating the performances of additive-manufactured micro-lattice with complex microstructures.